Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

[payn]

I know a lot of film critics loved this... I had a hard time getting through the early portions though. It's basically Redneck Ocean's Eleven (same director and everything; they end up robbing a Nascar event). It was a flop unfortunately.

Its not great... but its got some great actors and they do a good job with what they are given.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Finally saw this one. While I think I appreciated the two breezier first films more, I love a great locked room mystery and the inclusion of a reading list of such stories was a fun inclusion.

I also enjoyed Johnson making a quick Star Wars joke, although it was part of the commentary on the right wing outrage machine, rather than some commentary on The Last Jedi response (which I would also have been down for).

Great cast and a role that Glenn Close in particular was born to play.

Good stuff.

 

[TiQuinn]

I adored this movie! The Knives Out series sits comfortably in my cozy murder mystery pantheon. I’m such a sucker for this formula and Rian Johnson does a great job breathing fresh life into the standard tropes. They can keep making these movies forever and I’ll keep coming back.

 

[Ryujin]

I love how Johnson consistently gives you everything that you need to solve the crime, yourself, unlike so many modern 'mysteries' that hold back one key piece of evidence for the "twist." I think that I caught all the clues, but ultimately came to the wrong conclusion.

 

[payn]

IDK, I loved the first two but this one kinda was meh. I get the murder mystery being convoluted is par for the course but the quirky writing and charisma of the actors makes it work. This time it was far and few between and didn’t really fire on all cylinders for me.

 

[Morrus]

My ranking of these is 1, 3, 2.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I love how Johnson consistently gives you everything that you need to solve the crime, yourself, unlike so many modern 'mysteries' that hold back one key piece of evidence for the "twist." I think that I caught all the clues, but ultimately came to the wrong conclusion.

I loved the scene in the forest where Benoit and the priest were debating and, unseen by them, but clearly visible to the audience, we have a figure walk by in the background with a lantern.

I very much appreciate how Johnson is committed to playing fair with the audience regarding the mystery, even signaling things like "you should be wondering if there's more than one culprit."

Even Agatha Christie sometimes cheated a little bit. (Solving Death on the Nile requires making your own map of the ship at home, along with a time table. Yes, technically you could do it, but that feels a bit hostile to the reader. At least put the map in the book, Agatha!)

 

[Ryujin]

I loved the scene in the forest where Benoit and the priest were debating and, unseen by them, but clearly visible to the audience, we have a figure walk by in the background with a lantern.

I very much appreciate how Johnson is committed to playing fair with the audience regarding the mystery, even signaling things like "you should be wondering if there's more than one culprit."

Even Agatha Christie sometimes cheated a little bit. (Solving Death on the Nile requires making your own map of the ship at home, along with a time table. Yes, technically you could do it, but that feels a bit hostile to the reader. At least put the map in the book, Agatha!)

i had it as

Spoiler

three people involved and a double-cross. I had the right three people but not the one as a victim

 

[Morrus]

Folks, if you want to talk spoilers, please start a separate spoilers thread for it. The spoilers tags don't work on all devices/platforms, and also make the thread a PITA to read.

 

[jian]

My ranking of these is 1, 3, 2.

Mine is 3, 2, 1 - getting better each time.

Knives Out was a fantastic and well-delivered modern country house mystery, but less good on themes and honestly most of the characters were flat stereotypes.

Glass Onion was brilliant on themes and characterisation but less strong on the mystery, which was probably a bit too convoluted; the question was really about how the murderer might ever face consequences (in that, it was more like an episode of Poker Face).

Wake Up Dead Man was excellent on both themes/characters and the mystery, as well as both a really committed homage to the village murder mystery and a genuinely affecting discussion of religion in a way that G K Chesterton would have loved. Oh, and the Dead Man is American Christian morality.